Megaldon sharks, often spelled Megalodon, are the subject of ongoing scientific exploration about their biology and lifestyle. Recent notes from researchers, including analyses tied to the University of California, Los Angeles, describe this extinct giant as a warm-blooded predator. At its peak, this creature could reach about 15 meters in length and weigh more than 35 tons, securing a place among the largest known marine carnivores in the history of life. Fossil records suggest its reign ended roughly three million years ago.
In a study led by Robert Eagle and his team, scientists examined the isotopic signature in the enamel of Megalodon teeth. By applying statistical models to estimate seawater temperatures for each of the five collecting regions, they observed a striking pattern: enamel formed at nearly the same temperatures across distant sites. This consistency implies a body temperature about seven degrees Celsius higher than surrounding seawater. That gap is larger than what is typical for most sharks and supports the interpretation that Megalodon possessed a regulated core temperature that endured despite environmental changes.
Having a warmer core could have offered several advantages, such as faster swimming and more efficient circulation of heat through the body, enabling the animal to hunt in cooler waters or at higher latitudes. Yet maintaining such warmth would require substantial energy, a cost that might have influenced the long-term viability of the species. While mammals use steady metabolic processes to sustain constant warmth, many sharks, including Megalodon, are viewed as mesothermic. Heat generation depended mainly on muscle activity and some stored heat rather than a constant internal temperature independent of the environment.
In a related thread, a Roman amphora discovered in Cordoba was found to contain poems attributed to the poet Virgil. This artifact underscores how discoveries from different eras and regions reveal the broad web of human and natural history, often exposing surprising links across cultures and time periods.